Switch-point-adjusting mechanism.



F. J. OLANDER.

SWITCH POINT ADJUSTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

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40km a GRAHAM cc).v PNOTD-LITHOGRAPNERS, wASuWnTnN h r- F. J. OLANDER.SWITCH POINT ADJUSTING MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1909. 949,7?6@ Patented Feb. 2.2, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I I I Mn F. J. OLANDER.

SWITCH POINT ADJUSTING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATIOK FILED JUNE 10, 1909. 949,776. Patented Feb.22,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQF.

FRANK J. OLANDER, OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO I'IORDENFROG 86 CROSSING WORKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-POINT-ADJUSTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. OLANDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago Heights, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inSwitch-Point-Adjusting Mechanisms, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a device for readily adjusting the fit betweenrailroad switch points with adjacent stock rails, as wear takes place,thereby doing away with the danger of accidents.

In previous practice the switch points between adjacent stock rails havebeen connected by a rod and many devices have been designed and patentedfor adjusting the length of such a rod and consequently adjusting theswitch points in the beginning and changing said adjustment as weartakes place. Such devices while practical are not wholly satisfactorybecause of the number of parts necessary and because of the factthat allof the adjustments have to be made at a level with the track andconsequently close to the ground where there may be ice, snow or otherobstacle in the way of readily making such adjustments.

The object of this invention is to provide a device capable of beingeasily and accurately adjusted at the switch stand itself thereby doingaway with the necessity of getting too close to the ground and doingwith what is practically one operation that which requires twooperations where separate switch lugs are adjusted.

The invention consists in the use of a switch rod usually of fixedlength between the switch points the same being connected to the switchstand by a connecting rod hav ing an elongated slot therein within whichis slidably mounted a crank pin, with or without a cross head of anordinary switch stand, this in combination with means for adjusting thelength of the slot in the connecting rod with specific reference to thedesired adjustments of the switch points.

More in detail the invention consists in the specific means foradjusting the length of the slot and connecting rod and in other detailsof construction which will be hereafter more fully described andclaimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the track andadjacent switch points showing the preferred form of this inventionapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side view of the parts of Fig. 1 taken 011the irregular line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theconnecting rod. Fig. 4 is a vertical detail view partially in section onthe line l4t Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view on the line 5-5Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a corresponding detail view on the line 6-6 Fig. 3.Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified structure corresponding to Fig. 3.Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional detail view on the line 88 of Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan of the connecting rod and Fig. 10 is asmaller scale side view of the corresponding stock rails and switchpoints in a given position. Figs. 11 and 12 are similar correspondingviews of these parts in a difi'erent position and Figs. 13 and 14 aresimilar views of the same parts in still a difierent position.

Again referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates one stock railwhile 12 indicates the opposite stock rail. Between these two stockrails 10 and 12 are switch rails 16 and 18 terminating respectively inthe switch points 20 and 22 in the ordinary manner; said switch railsbeing adapted to slide in the ordinary manner upon the plates 2d securedto the ties 26 or other suitable supports. To each switch point 20 areconnected switch lugs 28 and correspondingly connected to the switchpoint 22 are other switch lugs 30; one pair of lugs on opposite switchpoints being connected by the bar or rod 32 and bolts 36 and the otherpair of lugs being connected by the rod 3t and bolts 37. So far as thisinvention is concerned, these connections need not be adjustable andthey are not here so shown but each one of these rods 30 or 32 may beadjustably connected to the switch lugs 28 and 30 by any of the wellknown devices for this purpose only one of which is illustrated inUnited States patent to Lee and Moore, No. 679,153, issued July 23,1901.

The rod 34 heretofore referred to is as shown longer than the distancebetween stock rails and has on one of its outwardly extending ends as38, a pin, bolt or other suitable device 40 to which is attached aconnecting rod 42, preferably upwardly turned at 4.4 as shown so as tobe off from and clear of the ground. The opposite end portion 46 of therod is enlarged and fiattened into the block 48 to which the U or clevisshaped member 50 is attached by means of the bolts 52. This U shapedmember 52 is as shown so connected to the portion 48 of the rod that anelongated slot 54 is formed at the ends of the rod within which slot thecross head 56 provided with flanges 58 is slidably mounted. The top andbottom faces of this U shaped member 50 are provided with serrations orteeth 60, as shown, in which corresponding teeth upon the blocks 62 and64 are adapted to rest and fit as shown, said blocks 62 being connectedtogether by a bolt 66 and nut 68 and said blocks 64 being connectedtogether by a bolt 70 and nut 72. The result of the construction justdescribed is that by loosening the nut 68 the blocks 62 may be adjustedlengthwise of the connecting rod and that by loosening the nut 72 blocks64 may be correspondingly adjusted, both bolts being tightened up afterthey are in their new position.

Through the cross head 56 is a normally circular hole 70 through whichthe crank pin 74 upon crank 76 upon shaft 78 of an ordinary switch stand79 passes.

Figs. 7 and 8 show modified forms of construction in which the crank pin75. enters directly into an elongated slot 81, the cross head 56beingomitted. The length of travel of this crank pin 7 5 in the slot 81is regulated by the use of blocks 82 at one end and blocks 84 at theopposite end of the slot, the blocks 82 being held in position by thebolt 86 and the blocks 84 being held in position by the bolt 88 as inthe other construction.

In the operation of the device, the parts are first connected up in thegeneral relation shown in Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10 with the adjusting blocks62 and 64 intermediate between the ends of the elongated slot 54 and theswitch points 20 and 22 not in actual contact with their adjacent stockrails, after which each switch point is adjusted to its stock rail. Afull description of one such operation will be suificient;Assuming thatthe operator desires to properly adjust the switch point 22 to the stockrail 12, he first loosens the nut 68 in the manner described and movesthe connecting rod, the parts connected thereto including the switchpoint 22 and the adjusting blocks 62 from the position of Figs. 9 and 10to the position shown in Figs. 11 and 12 in which with the crank 7 6 atits extreme throw the switch point 22 does fit the rail 12. The operatorthen tightens up the blocks 62 by means of the nut 68 and the device isready for operation in so far as the rail 12 and the point 22 areconcerned. The switch stand itself is designed to give the switch pointsa full throw from open to closed position with reference to theiradjacent stock rails when the shaft 78 makes a quarter or ninety degreesrevolution or in other words while the crank 76 moves from the positionof Figs. 9 and 11 to that of Fig. 18. and 12 show the relations of allthe parts when the point 22 is adjacent to the stock rail 12 and Fig. 14shows the opposite 8X1 treme position of all the parts when the switch.point 20 is adjacent to the stock rail 10. If the switch point 20 doesnot properly fit the stock rail 10 either at the time of the originaladjustment of the device or after wear has taken place the relation ofthe parts is changed by moving the blocks 64 in exactly the same way asthe blocks 62 were moved to change the adjustment of the partsfrom thatof Fig. 10 to that shown in Fig. 12. From the foregoing it will be seenthat by making the blocks 62 and 64 adjustable, the bearing force of thecrank pin 72 upon each switch point is controlled independently of itsaction upon the opposite switch point and that therefore the accuracy offit of each switch point againsteach stock rail may be accuratelyadjusted. at the stand.

Another object of the invention herein described is that the pressurewhich the device exerts upon each switch point to force it against itsadjacent stock rail may be varied to take up lost motion due to thespring or give of the parts between the crank 7 6 and the rail whoseswitch point is being adjusted. Attention is also especially called tothe fact that in order to permit the adjustments herein described thethrow of the crank is greater than the travel of the switch points; inother words there is normally a portion of the pathof travel of thecrank pin in the slot in the connecting rod when it is not in engagementwith the blocks at either end of the slotand it is this fact which makesadjustment possible.

The claims are:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair ofstock rails and switch points adjacent thereto, a connecting memberbetween both switch points, a connecting rod attached to said member, ashaft with its crank and crank pin, said crank pin entering an elongatedslotin the connecting rod, and means for adjusting the length of saidslot at each end whereby the fit of the switch points against the railsmay be varied.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair ofstock rails and switch points adjacent thereto, a switch stand providedwith a pivoted shaft carrying a crank and crank pin, a connecting memberattached to both switch points provided with a slot in which said crankpin is adapted to slide, members on the connecting member, near the endsof said slot therein against which said crank pin is adapted .to

In other words Figs. 11

bear, and means permitting the adjustment of said last mentioned memberslengthwise of the slot for the purposes described.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pair ofrails and switch points adjacent thereto, a bar connected to both switchpoints, a switch stand adjacent thereto, provided with a rotatable shaftbearing a crank arm and crank pin, a connecting rod attached to said barand having a slot in which the crank pin is adapted to move backward andforward, blocks upon said elongated slot and against which said crankpin is adapted to bear, and means permitting the adjustment of saidblocks along said connecting member.

at. A device of the class described, comprising a switch stand, a shaftrotatably mounted therein, a crank and crank pin carried by said shaft,a connecting rod entering said stand, provided at one end with means forconnection to railroad switch points, provided at the other end with anelongated slot in which said crank pin is adapted to travel, and meansby which the length of travel of the crank pin in said slot may bevaried.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair ofstock rails and switch points adjacent thereto, a connecting memberattached to both switch points, a

&

mechanism for operating the switch points, a pin and slot connectionbetween said connecting member and said operating mechanism comprising apin on one member operating within -an elongated slot in the othermember and means on the member provided with the slot, adjacent to itsends adapted to be adjusted along the slot so as to vary the length ofthe slot and the travel of the pin therein.

(3. In a device of the class described the combination with a pair ofstock rails and switch points adjacent thereto, a connecting memberattached to both switch points, a mechanism for operating the switchpoints, a pin and slot connection between said connecting member andsaid operating mechanism comprising a pin on one member operating withinan elongated slot in the other member and means adjustable in thedirection of the length of the slot to independently vary the points ofcontact of the pin with each end of the slot for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

FRANK J. OLANDER. YVitnesses DWIGHT B. CHEEVER, C. J. CHRIsToFrnL.

